Learn how to make the sweetest decorations, boxes, gifts and table styling details for your Easter celebration.

ADULT EASTER WORKSHOPS

Make a bunny, gift box, paper basket and glitter and decorate eggs. Included is a lovely afternoon tea.

Adult Workshop – Saturday 12 March 2016 2pm-5pm at Grosgrain in Wahroonga. To book click here

Tickets – $110 (includes all materials and afternoon tea)

KIDS EASTER WORKSHOPS

Little ones will make their own bunny rabbit and glitter eggs to take home in a handmade paper basket. Included is a light refreshment and Easter bunny cupcake. Recommended for children aged 7-12 years old.

Workshop 1 – Saturday 19 March 2016 11am-12.45pm at IATB HQ in Killara. To book click here

Workshop 2 – Saturday 19 March 2016 3pm-4.45pm at IATB HQ in Killara. FULLY BOOKED

Tickets – $75 (includes all materials, organic cupcake and drink). To book click here

Please choose carefully as we do not offer refunds. You are welcome to pass your ticket onto a friend. If you do please email lyn@inallthingsbeautiful.com with the new attendees name.

In all things beautiful,

Lyn xx

{Easter Workshops}

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I am so excited to share with you one of my first creative workshops. This one is for the girls! What girl would not want to spend a few hours crafting pom poms and finger knitting?! With homemade organic cupcakes and drinks to devour whilst getting their craft on.

The girls get to take home a one-of-a-kind handmade denim bag and make a pom pom trio to add a little fun to their new fashion accessory. They will also make a mini pom pom garland to decorate their bedroom. Here are the dates and times available.

Upon request you can book this craft party for your daughter’s birthday party with a maximum of 8 girls. Please email your party date to lyn@inallthingsbeautiful.com

KIDS CRAFT WORKSHOP – POM POMS + FINGER KNITTING

DATES – Two dates available for the September 2015 School Holidays.

Workshop 1 – Wednesday 23 September 2015 1pm-4pm

Workshop 2 – Tuesday 29 September 2015  10am-1pm

Venue – In All Things Beautiful HQ (address emailed once booking confirmed)

Tickets – $95 (includes all materials, cupcake and drink). To book click here

To have your denim bag customised with your child’s initial tick – Add on Customised Initial Embroidery to your cart.

Please choose carefully as we do not offer refunds. You are welcome to pass your ticket onto a friend. If you do please email lyn@inallthingsbeautiful.com with the new attendees name.

CREATIVE WORKSHOPS

Here is a taste of other workshops scheduled for this year. Dates to be confirmed in September.

WEDDINGS – Hands on workshops for the bride-to-be and her entourage. Including invitations, bunting, cake toppers, bespoke craft details and more for your wedding day. I will be bringing you my designs, suppliers and diy tips and tricks. Get crafty and create a beautiful bespoke look for your special day. Make a day of it with your mum or bridesmaids with a lovely organic afternoon tea served.

STYLE YOUR SOCIAL FOR MAKERS + CREATIVES – A collaboration with self confessed techie and creative nerd Christy Laurence from With the Radiant on how to ‘Style your Social’ media with savvy. Bringing together my stylist and photography experience and Christy’s social media and marketing strategies we will have a jam packed day with morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea included.

The morning styling component will cover placement, how to style foodie shots, and the use of props to enhance the product and tell a story through image, composition, texture and colour. You will have the opportunity to capture beautifully styled vignettes and play with my collection of vintage props and delicious treats to add to your camera roll.

In the afternoon session Christy will bring you the lowdown on Instagram photo editing apps, stats and tips. She will share with you insight into how to curate your feed and themes. The key to a great feed is consistency and content and knowing when to post and Christy will show you how. Most importantly the question all makers and sellers ask how to find customers not peers – will be answered.

DIY PARTY STYLING – Learn crafty skills to add to your next celebration. Lot’s of delightful things to make – handmade invitations, bunting, cake decorating, drink stirrers and more.

CHRISTMAS – One of my favourite seasons to decorate and style is Christmas. Make your own handmade paper floral wreath and Christmas crackers for this wonderful celebration.

In all things beautiful,

Lyn x

{Kids Craft Workshop} September School Holidays

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After lunch Holly’s class took the road less traveled – the world of cultures, fermenting and probiotics. There is an increased awareness of feeding our bodies for health and knowing the benefits of certain foods for wellbeing and wellness. Hearing the words scoby (a kombucha culture), fermentation and glass explosions being thrown around the room had me clinging to my wooden stool and my mouth agape in wonder. Honestly it has both intrigued and scared me to open this veritable pandoras box of um goodies?! There are communities on social media who share their cultures, trials, triumphs and fears. They are groups of like minded men and women on their journey to good gut health and wellness and I am ready to join them!

Through industrialisation, commercialism and the rise of processed foods most of the modern world has lost the age old tradition of preserving foods and along with it the health benefits. The fermentation process is still widely used by many cultures including kimchi in Korea and Sauerkraut in Germany. We are seeing a shift towards eating wholefoods, cooking from scratch, buying organically and sourcing local produce. Our food chain has been adulterated by science and chemicals with the aim of feeding the masses at rock bottom prices with high profits. Now we are seeing the health costs of these choices.

SO WHAT ARE PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS, WHAT DO THEY DO AND WHERE DO YOU FIND THEM?

PROBIOTICS – Known as the ‘good bacteria’, these are microorganisms naturally found in the human digestive tract that improve the balance of healthy bacteria in your gut. They are found in fermented and cultured foods . You can make your own such as kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, jun and filmjolk (swedish yoghurt) using organic ingredients or buying organic products including yoghurt, miso and tempeh. Some benefits of probiotics include easing constipation and bloating, aids digestion, improve bowel health, restore healthy gut flora after taking antibiotics, optimal nutrient absorption, support the bodies immune system guarding it against harmful bacteria and even helps slow or reverse some diseases. Aim to include 1-2 serves in your diet daily.

PREBIOTICS – Work in synergy with probiotics, promoting the growth and function of good bacteria in the gut. Your gut will be healthier, more balanced and your body is able to absorb essential nutrients as they pass through the digestive tract. Essentially prebiotics feed probiotics. You can find them in chickpeas, lentils, beans, leeks, onions, asparagus, jeresalem artichokes and other supplementary fibres such as psyllium and slippery elm. It is recommended to eat 1-2 serves a day of foods containing prebiotics especially in winter.

What we fear is the unknown. For me all it has taken is a bit of reading and a class with a lady who has over 40 years experience – she started fermenting as a teenager and her love affair has never wained but somewhat become a passion to share her knowledge with others. If you are a little nervous trying to make your own natural probiotic foods and tonics I would highly recommend one of Holly’s workshops. A great place to start your new adventure into a happy and healthy world of good gut bacteria. Before taking off on this new journey of discovery be sure to do your research or find a good workshop because it can be quite dangerous. One of Holly’s students left her bottle of fermented goodness in the fridge whilst on holiday and it exploded and blew the fridge door right off! Big mistake, HUGE mess and expense to clean up when she returned…..unless you have budgeted for a new kitchen and whitegoods! No kind of good gut conversation would explain myself out of that one with Mr M!

In all things beautiful,

Lyn xx

Holly Davis teaches wholefood workshops, is a food writer, recipe developer, author, chef and available for consulting. For latest wholefood classes visit food by holly davis

The workshop was held at Silva Noble’s beautifully styled home. You can find a lovely curation of her style at her shop The Lost and Found Dept. in Sydney’s lower north shore.

ps A big thank you to Jane Grover and Annette who assisted Holly.

{Holly Davis} Cultures, Fermenting and Probiotics Workshop Part 2

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We are seeing the last of the colourful autumn leaves cling to tree branches as the winter chill hits Sydney. This means more time at home, snuggling up and eating warm comfort food. Last weekend I attended a workshop by all round amazing lady Holly Davis of food by holly davis. She is passionate about wholefoods, understanding the nutritional benefits of the food we eat and eating organic produce in season. Her food is delicious, nourishing and I love her creative use of ingredients. Sometimes I get stuck using the same ingredients at home – Holly has inspired me to introduce ‘new’ flavours back into my dishes. For example I used to cook with miso, tahini, umeboshi and seaweed however in recent years they have slipped out of my cooking repertoire.

Holly is one half of the team that founded Iku Wholefoods some 30 years ago. She has been a trailblazer in Australia using macrobiotic principles and wholefood cooking. I cannot quite remember where I first met her however our paths have crossed in the organic and hospitality industries over the years. She is like a second mum. She is warm, nurturing and lovingly brings class to order. Her passion for food is contagious and I love to see someone absolutely excited about real food, who enjoys teaching and sharing her lifelong quest of eating well. Holly is a generous teacher packing the day with helpful tips and sharing her knowledge of cooking and ingredients. I truly believe starting with good organic produce and it being prepared with a heart filled with passion and hands that knead, roll, stir with love can be tasted in the food.

I am thrilled Holly was kind enough to share one of her Winter Warmer recipes with us.

{RECIPE} TOO EASY TO BE TRUE JAP PUMPKIN SOUP BY HOLLY DAVIS ©

Holly recommends roasting the pumpkin whole this seals in the flavours and keeps the natural sweetness in the pumpkin. It also saves time in the kitchen because after it is roasted the skin peels off easily. I love this handy tip because peeling pumpkins is hard work.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium jap pumpkin whole

2 tsp ghee or plain sesame oil

1 1/2 tbsp ginger juice

1 tbsp ghee

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup toasted pepitas

METHOD

Rub the whole pumpkin with fat

Place on a baking tray and transfer to the oven at 150 degrees celsius.

Cook for 1 1/2 – 2 hours

Peel the skin, remove the centre and scoop out the seeds.

Scoop the flesh into the blender and blend with sea salt and ghee to taste and enough stock to make a pourable but thick soup.

Re-heat and serve hot.

Top with a good drizzle of chilli oil, yuzu miso sauce and toasted pepitas.

I have wanted to take one of Holly’s Wholefood Workshops for many years now. Being constrained by time has left it on the to do list and now I wish I had done it sooner rather than later. It was a jam packed 5 hours in the delightful home of Silvia Noble from The Lost and Found Department. Silvia’s style and eye for detail filled the room and as the perfect hostess the day ran seamlessly. A beautifully styled cottage with a white kitchen that is my kind of pinterest pin perfection with marble bench tops, chandeliers and a long rustic wooden table.

The day was filled with lots to taste, watch and we even received living organisms to take home. I cannot wait to make Holly’s Walnut Pate, Irish Lamb Stew with Oat Groats, Roasted Pumpkin Soup, and Tahini, Umeboshi, Lemon Sauce. The second part of the day was all about tonics, cultures and fermenting foods and liquids. This was literally jaw dropping stuff which I will share with you later this week.

In all things beautiful,

Lyn xx

Holly Davis teaches wholefood workshops, is a food writer, recipe developer, author, chef and available for consulting. For latest wholefood classes visit food by holly davis

ps A big thank you to Jane Grover and Annette who assisted Holly.

{Holly Davis} Wholefood Winter Warming Wonders Workshop

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Last week I had two wonderful days in the country. Surrounded by inspiration, creative women, home cooking and my Canon 5d Mark III at the ready. It could not have been any more perfect for a girl who loves food, styling and photography. Sophie Hansen from Local is Lovely hosted the Food Styling and Photography workshop at her parents farm ‘Kimbri’ in Rydal. Located 2 1/2 hours west of Sydney meant an early start to arrive by 9am. When I arrived I was delighted to find my friend Jane Grover had also booked in for the workshop. Sophie’s mum artist Annie Herron is an art teacher and she has Art Classes throughout the year at Kimbri. Oh how I wish I was a watercolorist so I could spend five magical days here painting. A girl can dream, cant she?!. Maybe one day….

Arriving at Kimbri instantly I felt at home. Welcomed by Luisa Brimble – a passionate, generous and talented photographer. Being creative I need to understand the technical in a hands on creative way. Luisa is empathetic to this with her patient and relaxed teaching style. I loved that it was 80% practical and 20% theory. It was well paced and we all had ten minutes with Luisa for one and one sessions. We put all our newfound skills into practice on the DSLR’s manual settings.

Stylist Stephanie Stamatis and her assistant/model Ella Bendrups flew up from Melbourne bringing swoon worthy props and backgrounds. She created a veritable playground of beautiful vignettes for us to photograph. I am in awe of her eye for detail and precise yet relaxed approach to styling. Amelia Toohey from The Flower Era did the early morning trek to the flower markets in Sydney to bring us the prettiest autumn flowers and her creative floristry skills.

Sophie and her friend Pip prepared delicious food for breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Needless to say there was food in abundance and we certainly did not go hungry! It was a short reprieve being away from my family knowing I would not upset anyone taking seemingly endless photos of our food before ‘I allowed’ them to eat. My husband is always saying that’s enough photos….my reply is always “just one more”. After all it could be that last shot which is the hero! Sophie and her husband Tim are deer farmers and they host farm kitchen lunches at their farm Mandagery Creek, 20 minutes west of Orange. This lady juggles a family, a farm, is a food writer and has just written her first cook book Local is Lovely.

I hardly slept a wink on the first night because my mind was racing from such a visually sensory day. Back in my room my head was giddy with composition, aperture, metering, ISO’s, overexposing, underexposing and light. My dreams were vivid and filled with the beauty of images captured on digital ‘film’.

Images last forever, they are a record of a time, a place, a moment. They are powerful in evoking emotions. In photography I am drawn to contrast of the moodiness and shadows in underexposed images and the light and brightness in overexposing images. Two opposites yet equally beautiful in there own way.

In all things beautiful,

Lyn xx

ps The sweetest young lady – student Hannah McCowatt joined us to film this lovely montage capturing the essence of two magical days at Kimbri. This girl has talent! She is developing her blog at the moment and I can’t wait to see it.

{Food Styling + Photography Workshop} Local is Lovely

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